Rory McIlroy Falters in the Wind Yet Again at PGA Grand Slam of Golf

Rory McIlroy failed to hold a three-stroke lead with only 12 holes to play at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.  Keegan Bradley bounced back from early struggles to shoot an even-par 71, winning the 36-hole event at four under (par).  

The mark was good for a one-stroke victory over Charl Schwartzel, who rallied with a six-under (-par) 65.  It was not enough though to make up for his first-round 74.  McIlroy ended up shooting a 75, finishing five strokes back.  Darren Clarke finished last at nine over (par) in this clash of 2011's major champions.

McIlroy bogeyed three consecutive holes to close out the front nine.  He shot one over (par) on the back nine as Bradley outpaced him by seven strokes over the final 12 holes.  The strong winds at Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda wreaked havoc on his game.  Darren Clarke even managed to better McIlroy's mark by one shot.

It is the latest incident of McIlroy not holding his game together in windy conditions.  In the 2010 British Open, McIlroy shot a second-round 80 costing him a chance at victory.  He shot 63 in the first round and broke 70 in the other two rounds.

He looked to be in control at the 2011 Dubai Desert Classic, holding a 36-hole lead.  The wind picked up over the weekend and he shot five over (par).  His 36-hole score of 11-under (par) was the winning score after Sunday.

Florida winds bothered McIlroy in 2011.  In the Honda Classic he finished at 16 over (par), losing 12 of those strokes on the weekend.  At the WGC Cadillac Championship, he slipped to 10th place after a final-round 74.

He failed to contend in this year's British Open and the Irish Open, with the wind being a factor in both.  Now his season has been punctuated by this latest debacle in the wind.

McIlroy really needs to address this issue of his game.  Faltering in the wind is becoming too much of a trend for him.